Statistical information Laos 1995Laos

Map of Laos | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year:  | More stats

Laos in the World
Laos in the World

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Laos - Introduction 1995
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Background: In 1975 the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise an easing of foreign investment laws.


Laos - Geography 1995
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Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand

Geographic coordinates

Map referenceSoutheast Asia

Area
Total area total: 236,800 km²
Land: 230,800 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries: total 5,083 km, Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November; dry season (December to April)

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones
Land use

Land use
Arable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 58%
Other: 35%

Irrigated land: 1,554 km² (1992 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: landlocked


Laos - People 1995
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Population: 4,837,237 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.84% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
Adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") and the Yao (Mien) 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Religions: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

Demographic profile
Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (female 1,084,615; male 1,111,928)
15-64 years: 51% (female 1,280,142; male 1,199,149)
65 years and over: 4% (female 86,390; male 75,013) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.84% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 42.64 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 14.28 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
Current issues natural hazards: floods, droughts, and blight
Current issues international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 99.2 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.2 years
Male: 50.66 years
Female: 53.81 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.98 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992)
Total population: 50%
Male: 65%
Female: 35%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


Laos - Government 1995
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Country name
Conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
Conventional short form: Laos
Local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
Local short form: none

Government type: Communist state

Capital: Vientiane

Administrative divisions: 16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural; Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Dependent areas

Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday: National Day, 2 December (1975) (proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system: based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and Socialist practice

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President NOUHAK PHOUMSAVAN (since 25 November 1992)
Head of government: Prime Minister Gen. KHAMTAI SIPHANDON (since 15 August 1991)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president, approved by the Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly: elections last held on 20 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (85 total) number of seats by party NA

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador HIEM PHOMMACHANH
In the us chancery: 2,222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-6,416, 6,417
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 332-4,923
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Victor L. TOMSETH
From the us embassy: Rue Bartholonie, Vientiane
From the us mailing address: B. P. 114, Vientiane; American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96,546
From the us telephone: [856] (21) 212,581, 212,582, 212,585
From the us FAX: [856] (21) 212,584

Flag descriptionflag of Laos: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


Laos - Economy 1995
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Economy overview: The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official Communist states - has been decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise since 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, have been striking - growth has averaged 7.5% annually since 1988. Even so, Laos is a landlocked country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The predominant crop is rice. In non-drought years, Laos is self-sufficient overall in food, but each year flood, pests, and localized drought cause shortages in various parts of the country. For the foreseeable future the economy will continue to depend on aid from the IMF and other international sources; aid from the former USSR and Eastern Europe has been cut sharply. As in many developing countries, deforestation and soil erosion will hamper efforts to maintain the high rate of GDP growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 8.4% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $850 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: principal crops - rice (80% of cultivated land), sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, cotton; livestock - buffaloes, hogs, cattle, poultry

Industries: tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural processing, construction

Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (1992 est.), accounts for 18% of GDP (1992 est.)

Labor force: 1 million-1.5 million
By occupation: agriculture 80% (1992 est.)
Labor force

Unemployment rate: 21% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $NA

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $277 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: electricity, wood products, coffee, tin, garments
Partners: Thailand 57%, Germany 10%, France 10%, Japan 5% (1991)

Imports: $528 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodoties: food, fuel oil, consumer goods, manufactures
Partners: Thailand 55%, Japan 16%, China 8%, Italy 4% (1991)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: new kips (NK) per US$1 - 717 (1994 est.), 720 (July 1993). 710 (May 1992), 710 (December 1991), 700 (September 1990), 576 (1989)


Laos - Energy 1995
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Electricity
Capacity: 260,000 kW
Production: 870 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 44 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


Laos - Communication 1995
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Telephones

Telephone system: 7,390 telephones (1986); service to general public very poor; radio communications network provides generally erratic service to government users
Local: 16 telephone lines per 1,000 people
Intercity: radio communications
International: 1 earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


Laos - Military 1995
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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $105 million, 8.1% of GDP (FY92/93)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


Laos - Transportation 1995
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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 52
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 25
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17

Heliports

Pipelines: petroleum products 136 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: about 4,587 km, primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional kilometers are sectionally navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m

Merchant marine: total:1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,370 GRT/3,000 DWT

Ports and terminals


Laos - Transnational issues 1995
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Disputes international: boundary dispute with Thailand

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, opium poppy for the international drug trade, fourth largest opium producer (85 metric tons in 1994; heroin producer; increasingly used as transshipment point for heroin produced in Burma


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